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Ajmer City Map

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Ajmer Cantt Board: 26.467114, 74.653209
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Ajmer Cantt Board

Located in the heart of Rajasthan Ajmer is a small town with a very interesting past and in today’s world growing facets of growth and development in aspects of Culture, Education, state and privately owned Industrial & infrastructure establishments coalesce towards the fascination for trade tourism and investments in the district. In a picturesque valley surrounded by the hills of the Aravali range, 132 Kms. west of current state capital – Jaipur lies the historic city of Ajmer- a green oasis, wrapped by barren hills founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in 7th century A.D.. Ajmer got its name from name from ‘Ajay Meru’ or the invincible hill. Here he built India’s first hill fort, Taragarh. It continued to be the power center of the Chauhan clan till the end of the 12th century, Through times of War and peace. Through serenity and sacrifice. Ajmer has a rich history and played host to the first meeting between the Mughal King Jahangir and the Ambassador of the Court of King James 1 of England, Sir Thomas Roe in 1616. The city was officially handed over to the British a few centuries later, making Ajmer the only region in Rajputana to be directly controlled by the British East India Company. Today hundreds of years later Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage center for the Hindus as well as the Muslims.  As the final resting place of the great Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. Muslims from all over the world revere the Dargah Sharif, where the saint lies buried and locally equally revered by both the Hindus and the Muslims.  As an aside, Ajmer is also the base for visiting Pushkar about 14 kms. away. The abode of Lord Brahma the Pushkar lake is a sacred spot for the Hindus, where they take a dip especially in the month of Karthik and considered spiritually motivated. Thus, Ajmer is a perfect place that can be symbolized for demonstration of Indian culture, ethics and display of perfect blend of wide plethora of diverse religion, community, culture, linguistics etc. all coexisting and flourishing in peace and harmony. Besides local Hindus and Muslims several communities like Gujarati, Marathi, Malyali and other south Indian Communities, Sikh, Catholics, Parsi  etc.  Historically Ajmer being a centrally administrated state.

Tourist Locations

There are several tourist location present in Ajmer. Most of them are given below

THE AJMER SHARIF DARGAH

This is a Sufi shrine which encloses the ‘maqbara’ (grave) of Garib Nawaz, the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Built in the 13th century, the shrine is popular among people of all faiths who flock here to have their prayers answered. The shrine has three gates – the main gate or the Nizam gate, the Shah Jahan gate erected by the Mughal Emperor and the Buland Darwaza. Another big draw at this holy shrine is the sacred and scrumptious food that is served to devotees. Cooked in giant cauldrons known as ‘degs’, devotees gather in throngs to be blessed by this prasad.

ADHAI-DIN-KA-JHONPDA

The Adhai Din Ka Jhonpda was originally built to function as a Sanskrit college but was later converted into a mosque by Sultan Ghori in 1198 AD. An impressive blend of Indo-Islamic architecture, the structure was further beautified by Sultan Iltutmish in 1213 AD. Legend has it that the mosque is known as Adhai din ka Jhonpda (literally meaning, The Hut of Two and a Half Days) because of a two- and half-day fair held here during Urs in the 18th century.

Mayo College

Mayo College is one of India’s oldest independent boarding schools. Founded in 1875, and named after Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, Mayo College was set up to provide the scions of India’s princely states with an education similar to that provided by the Eton College in Britain. John Lockwood Kipling, father of Nobel Laureate, Rudyard Kipling, as principal of Mayo College, furnished the design of the Coat of Arms which shows a Rajput and a Bhil warrior. The college building is one of the finest extant examples of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.

Anasagar Lake

Anasagar Lake is a scenic artificial lake, commissioned and built by Arnoraj Chauhan, son of Ajaypal Chauhan, between 1135 and 1150 AD. Arnoraj was also known as Anaji, which gives the lake its name. Many years later, Mughal Emperor Jahangir added his touch to the lake by laying out the Daulat Bagh Gardens near the lake. Emperor Shah Jahan too, contributed to the expansion by building five pavilions, known as the Baradari, between the garden and the lake.

Soniji ki Nasiyan

Soniji ki Nasiyan, also known as the Ajmer Jain Temple, is a wonderful example of ornate architecture, and is dedicated to Risabh or Adinath. Its entrance is made of red stone and the marble staircase inside is engraved with images of the holy Tirthankars – omniscient teachers of Jain faith who taught righteousness. Constructed in the late 19th century, this temple is counted among the richest temples in India. Its main chamber, Swarna Nagari (City of Gold), is aptly named so because of the several gold-plated wooden figures it houses within its walls. This famous architectural marvel finds a mention in Kurt Titze's book, ‘Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence.’.

Lake Foy Sagar

A beautiful artificial lake that appears flat, Lake Foy Sagar was built by an English engineer, Mr. Foy in 1892 AD. Interestingly, this work was taken up to provide famine relief through wage employment to locals. Lake Foy Sagar offers a beautiful view of the Aravalli range.

The Nareli Jain Temple

The Nareli Jain Temple in Ajmer, also known as the Shri Gyandoaya Tirth Kshetra, is situated on the outskirts of Ajmer on the national highway to Jaipur. This modern edifice is celebrated for being a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary architectural styles. It consists of 24 miniature temples in its vicinity. Known as Jainalay, they represent the Jain Thirthankars. The Nareli Jain Temple is an important point of pilgrimage for Digambara Jains.

Taragarh Fort

Gateway of Taragarh Fort is the imposing main gate of Taragarh fort which is built on a crest of a hill. The main gateway of the Taragarh, which consists of two colossal bastions on both sides with strong guard rooms, has sculptures of elephants adorning it. The main highlights of this once magnificent fort are its water reservoirs and the Bhim Burj, on which the canon called Garbh Gunjam (Thunder from the Womb) was mounted. There is also the magnificent Rani Mahal with its stained windows and murals, which used to house the wives of the rulers. All this makes the Taragarh Fort a nonpareil example of Rajaputana architecture that’s also a major attraction for tourists visiting Ajmer. Fort is also known for Dargah of Hazrat Miran Sayyed Husain Khangswar(Miran Sahib) .

Prithvi Raj Smarak

Prithvi Raj Smarak is a memorial made in the honour of the brave Rajput chief, Prithvi Raj Chauhan III. Regarded as the epitome of devotion and courage, he was the last ruler of the Chauhan lineage and was enthroned to rule over the twin capitals of the Ajmer and Delhi, in 12 th century. The memorial exhibits the statue of Prithvi Raj III seated on his horse, made in black stone. The horse has one of its front hooves up in the air, as if charging forward. The memorial stands atop a hill, surrounded by the Aravalli range, giving visitors a panoramic view of the city of Ajmer. The memorial also has a garden adjacent to it, wherein tourists can sit and relax.

Pushkar Lake

According to Hindu scriptures, the sacred Pushkar Lake is described as ‘Tirtha Raj’, the king of all pilgrimage sites. No pilgrimage is considered to be complete without a dip in in the holy Pushkar Lake. Semi-circular in shape and about 8-10 metres deep, Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats and over 400 temples and is truly a magnificent sight to behold.

Brahma temple

Nestled in the picturesque Pushkar valley beyond the Nangaparvat and Anasagar Lake, the Brahma temple holds a special place in the hearts of Indians. It is the only temple in the world dedicated to Lord Brahma. Built with marble and decorated with silver coins, this temple can be identified by its red spire and the image of a swan (considered sacred to Lord Brahma). The chaturmukhi (four faced) idol of Lord Brahma is housed in the inner sanctum. A marble statue of the sun god stands sentinel at the temple. Interestingly, while all the gods are shown bare footed, Surya is shown wearing ancient warrior’s boots.

Varaha temple

Varaha temple is the largest and the most ancient temple of Pushkar. Constructed by the 12th century ruler, King Anaji Chauhan, this temple is dedicated to the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu as a wild boar. Legend has it that Varaha rescued the earth from depth of the primeval water, where it was dragged down by a demon (Hirnayaksh). It is one of the most visited temples in Pushkar.

SAVITRI TEMPLE

Dedicated to Lord Brahma's first wife, Goddess Savitri, this temple is situated on a hillock right behind the Brahma temple. While climbing the long series of steps leading to the temple, one can catch a panoramic view of the lake, surrounding temples and sand dunes. The presence of the only Brahma Temple in Pushkar is the outcome of Savitri’s curse to Brahma for marrying another Goddess, Gayatri, while starting his yagna in Pushkar.

RANGJI TEMPLE

The gracious and conspicuous Rangji Temple is another popular shrine that witnesses thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year. The temple is dedicated to Lord Rangji, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The influence of South Indian style, Rajput style and Mughal style in the temple’s architecture is highly noticeable. The high-rising ‘Gopuram’, prevalent mainly in the temples present in South India is another feature of the temple that attracts visitors.

Government Museum

The Ajmer Government Museum serves as one of the prime tourist destinations in Ajmer. The museum is housed within the magnificent fortified palace of the legendary Mughal Emperor Akbar, which was built in 1570. The museum is also known as Bharatpur Museum and is home to a rich collection of archaeological artefacts. Along with stone sculptures, inscriptions and armours, it features the finest paintings of the previous Maharajas of Bharatpur.
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